My Life, My Love, and My Lady
by Belle Schuyler
Summary: A Starmora as Parents Fanfiction. I published this fic piece by piece on Tumblr, but now that I'm on here I made it a compilation! Each chapter is kind of a stand-alone event, with lots of time jumps, but they're all connected.
1. Just Relax, Take it Easy

**Chapter 1: Just Relax, Take it Easy**

Gamora paced throughout the room, her heart pounding and her palms sweating. She felt nauseous, but she wasn't sure if that was entirely a result of nerves.

Peter entered, and looked at her concernedly as their eyes met.

"Hey, you okay?"

"I don't know…" She said, shaking her head, tears pooling in her eyes.

"What's the matter?" He asked, pulling her into his arms. She leaned her head on his shoulder, and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I have something I need to tell you."

"Tell me."

"First, you promise you won't overreact?"

"Sure. What is it, hun? You're scaring me."

She sighed again, and lightly pulled away from him to cautiously meet his eyes.

"I'm pregnant."

Peter's eyes lit up, and his face broke into a huge smile.

"What?"

Gamora's face contorted in surprise.

"You're not upset?"

"Of course not! How long have you known?"

"A few days. I'm sorry I couldn't do this sooner, it just…took me a while to process everything."

"You don't have to apologize! Did you think I wouldn't be excited or something?"

"You're excited? Really?" She said nervously, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"Well, yeah! I've…always wanted to be a dad." He responded shyly, rubbing the back of his neck. "What about you?"

"I don't know. I guess I've never really thought about it. It's not that I'm upset about the baby, I'm just…" she paused, searching her brain for the right word. "Terrified."

"Well, we raised Groot. And he turned out alright. How much harder can another kid be?" He joked.

"I'm serious."

"I know. I'm a little scared, too. But we've made it through everything else, this is just the next thing, right?" He pulled her closer, his arms feeling comforting around her waist.

"I guess…"

"Hey." He said softly, gently turning her face towards him so their eyes met. "I'm here for you, no matter what happens. Okay?"

Gamora was finally able to bring herself to smile.

"Okay."

She pulled herself up on her toes and kissed him.

"I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Said Peter.

He placed a gentle hand on Gamora's stomach and she placed her hand on top of his.

"That goes for you too, little munchkin." Peter continued, bending down to kiss her belly.


	2. Things are Much Brighter

**Chapter 2: Things Are Much Brighter**

Gamora sat in bed, holding a yellow bundle of blankets as Peter stood at her side.

"She's so beautiful." Gamora murmured, gently pulling the blankets away to reveal the face of a little green baby with bright auburn hair.

"Yeah…" Peter mumbled, feeling so deeply in love with his two girls, his little family, that he could hardly speak.

"She has my nose, and your eyes for sure. But I have no idea where all this hair came from!" Gamora teased, lightly ruffling the sleeping baby's hair.

"That's from me, too. I was a ginger until about age five."

Gamora chuckled, reaching over to squeeze his hand.

"You'll have to take me to Earth one day. Maybe we can find some baby pictures to show her."

"And when she's old enough, we can take her to your planet, too."

"Hmm…" Gamora paused, deep in thought, until her face began to light up.

"Oh, Peter! I'm not the last of my people anymore. Little Aria, she…she's part Zehoberei."

Her eyes pooled with tears of joy as Peter wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"I'll teach you all the traditions of our people, sweet girl. At least…all that I can remember."

There was a knock at the door, and a voice called:

"Can I come in?"

"Nebula! Yes, come in!"

"Come meet your niece."

Nebula walked in carefully, shyer than Peter or Gamora had ever seen her.

"She's…very pretty." Said Nebula.

"Do you wanna hold her?" Peter asked.

"Oh no…that's okay, I wouldn't want to…"

"Nebula." Gamora said, raising an eyebrow and giving that look that only older sisters can give.

"Okay."

Nebula walked closer, and awkwardly held out her arms. Peter helped her adjust them, despite the initial glare she gave him.

"Okay, so you just support her head and then…there you go!" Gamora instructed as she handed Nebula the baby.

Nebula watched the baby carefully, her expression unreadable until her face broke out into a huge smile.

"What's her name?" She asked, turning to the proud parents.

"Aria Meredith Quill."

"Well, Miss Aria. Can you promise me now that Auntie Nebula is going to be your favorite aunt?"

"Nebula, you're her only aunt." Gamora said earnestly.

Peter looked at her in surprise and mouthed "But…Mantis?"

Gamora lightly shook her head at Peter and pressed a finger to her mouth.

"Ha! So I'm the favorite by default!" Nebula exclaimed, as Aria woke up and started to cry.

"Oh no, what happened?"

"She's fine, Nebula. Here, give her to me." Said Peter, taking his daughter in his arms.

He walked over to the CD player and pressed play.

As the music began crooning, "Ooh child…." Peter began to gently sway and sing along to the music, causing the baby to stop crying and the two sisters to burst out laughing.

"That's my girl." Peter said, giving Aria a kiss on the forehead once the song was over. He looked over at Gamora, who gave him a loving smile. A deep feeling of content washed over the entire room, and he knew there wasn't anyone else he'd rather experience the journey of parenthood with.


	3. Sweet Child of Mine

**Chapter 3: Sweet Child of Mine**

"Peter?" Gamora called, walking onto the Milano only to receive no response.

She tried again. "Honey? I'm back."

As she walked further into the ship, she noticed the captain's seat fully reclined, where her husband was sleeping with their infant daughter held to his chest.

Gamora chuckled to herself before taking the baby in her arms, and kissing Peter on the cheek to wake him up.

"Nrgh…" He groaned, stretching his arms above his head. "What happened?"

"You and Aria decided to have a little nap." Gamora said, lightly bouncing the child in her arms.

Peter smiled at the sight of his two beautiful girls, as Gamora met his eyes warmly.

"This parenting thing's pretty sweet, huh?" He asked, reaching out his hand for Aria to grasp his fingers. Gamora chuckled, her gaze flickering from her daughter, who was squealing with joy, to her husband, who was gleaming with pride.

"Yeah." She responded with a grin. "It's not half bad."


	4. So Caught Up in You, Little Girl

**Chapter 4: So Caught Up in You, Little Girl**

"Alright, Aria. Say 'Dada'."

"Mama?"

"No, not Mama. Dada!"

"I yam Gwoot."

Peter let out an exasperated laugh. "Kid, that better be Groot for 'Dada.' Let's try it again, ready? Da…"

"Mama!" The toddler exclaimed, pointing at the door as her mother walked in.

"Hi, munchkin!" Gamora cooed, walking over and sitting crosslegged on the floor next to her daughter. Peter was laying on his stomach, raising an exaggerated eyebrow at his wife.

"No fair. She's playing favorites!"

"She is not!" Gamora said, pulling Aria into her lap. "Watch. Ari, do you wanna show Daddy what we were working on?"

"Ya!"

"Okay. Say 'Starlord'"

"Stwar lor!"

Peter's entire expression melted as he sat himself up, taking his daughter in his arms.

"That's my girl." He said, giving her a kiss on the cheek as Gamora watched them fondly. Aria reached up and lightly squeezed her father's nose.

"Dada."

"Oh, now she gets it." Peter remarked with a joking eye roll. Gamora smiled at them before leaning in to give Peter a kiss.

"Told you."

Later that night; Peter was sitting comfortably in his recliner, music pouring into his ears and his daughter sitting contently on his lap. As the song changed, Aria perked up and began to exclaim.

"Ah! Ah!" She exclaimed, trying to get her father's attention.

"What is it, munchkin?" Asked Peter, taking off his headphones.

"Oka Cha!" She said, pointing to the Zune in his hand.

"Ogga Chaka?"

She nodded, pointing up to the headphones around his neck.

"I gotcha, kiddo." He said, placing the headphones gingerly on top of her head. (They were too big for her, so he had to keep his hands pressed gently to the sides of her temple to keep them on.)

"I-I-I'm…hooked on a feeling!"

The toddler broke out into a huge smile, and started bobbing her head eagerly to the beat. (Which her father imitated) Peter couldn't help but smile at his little girl, who was already so much like him.


	5. Don't Fear, My Darling

**Chapter 5: Don't Fear, My Darling**

"Daddy?" Aria called softly, opening her parent's bedroom door. Peter took his headphones out of his ears and looked up at his daughter, noticing her eyes were red and puffy.

"What's the matter, munchkin?"

"I hadda nightmare."

"Aw, sweetheart. Come here."

Aria walked over to the bed, struggling to get all the way on top until Peter gently pulled her up and into his arms.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"I dunno what to make of it. It was so weird…and scary. This big purple guy, he hadda…I think it was a glove? He kept snapping and snapping over and over…"

Peter's face fell as he tightened a protective arm over his daughter, who felt so small and vulnerable. His gaze flickered over to Gamora, who was sleeping peacefully, her dreams far away from the horrors of her upbringing.

But they had promised, before Aria was even born, that they would never keep secrets from their children. He took a deep breath and put on a weak smile.

"He's someone your Mom and I fought a long time ago. But we kicked his butt, and you won't ever have to deal with him again, okay?"

Aria looked up at her father uncertainly, her bright eyes still sparkling with tears.

"Okay."

Gamora stirred next to them, opening her eyes to see her daughter and Peter (who's eyes were both that pretty shade of blue-green) staring back at her.

"Everything okay?" She asked.

"Yeah. Aria just had a nightmare about…about Thanos." Peter said, hesitating.

Gamora's expression hardened as she sat herself up, pressing a gentle hand to Aria's cheek.

"I want you to listen to me very carefully, Aria. I will never, ever, let that monster, that pitiful excuse for a man, hurt you. I swear to you. Do you understand me?"

Aria nodded, her eyes wide. "Because you'll kick his butt?"

Gamora smiled, and tilted her head up to kiss Aria's forehead. "Yes I will."

"We love you so much, munchkin." Said Peter, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I love you too. But…I think I'm ready to go back to bed. Will you tuck me in?"

"Of course we will, sweetheart." Said Gamora, tossing the covers off herself as Peter helped Aria off the bed.


	6. Walk in the Rays of a Beautiful Sun

This chapter was a request from its-mikha on Tumblr! Thank you for the request :)

**Chapter 6: Walk in the Rays of a Beautiful Sun**

"Mama! Daddy!"

Aria Quill ran to her parents, looking so grown up in her school uniform.

To express their gratitude for Peter, Gamora, and the rest of the Guardians saving Xandar all those years ago, the government offered their daughter a full scholarship to the best private elementary school they could offer.

"Hey munchkin!" Peter called, scooping her up in his arms and placing her on his shoulders.

"How was your first day, sweetheart?" Gamora asked, taking Peter's hand and running her free hand through her daughter's hair.

"It was good! We gotta do show n' tell tomorrow though, and I dunno what to bring."

"Well you can always bring one of your toys." Peter offered.

"Or maybe Uncle Groot could give you a flower." Gamora chimed in.

"Can you tell me the story of how you met again? I'd love to bring something from that!" Aria said, leaning on her father's head.

Peter and Gamora shared a look and a warm smile as they walked. He cleared his throat and put on his dramatic storytelling voice.

"It was many moons ago, here on Xandar…"

Aria giggled at her father's faux-deep voice.

"I had risked life and limb to retrieve a mythical orb, only to be rejected by my buyer! As I left the store, I locked eyes with the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my life."

"Then I kicked his sorry butt and stole the orb from him." Gamora added.

"Did not!" Peter said, pretending to be offended.

"Did too!" The mother and daughter said together.

"But then we met your uncles, and decided to form a team."

"The Guardians of the Galaxy!" Aria said dramatically.

"Exactly! And on one of our missions, Mama and I were alone on a place called Knowhere."

"The head of a magical demon that eats little girls who don't eat their veggies!" Gamora teased, lightly poking Aria in the belly. "Then your daddy introduced me to music for the first time."

"Fooled Around and Fell in Love, Elvis Bishop, 1975." Aria rattled off with a knowing nod.

"That's my girl!" Said Peter.

"How did you guys know you were in love? You've never told me that part of the story before."

"Well…" Said Peter, searching his brain. How do you explain love to a kindergartner?

"My heart knew before my head did." Said Gamora. "I thought your daddy was handsome the moment I laid eyes on him. But I didn't allow myself to love him for a while. My head was too stubborn."

"How come?" asked Aria.

"Well, falling in love can be scary sometimes, munchkin. But when you meet someone you really care about, like I did with your mom, it's worth it."

"Every second." Agreed Gamora, squeezing her husband's hand as they approached the Milano.

"When did you start loving me?" Asked Aria.

"Oh, my sweet girl." Said Gamora, taking her daughter into her arms and setting her on her hip, like the toddler she was just a few short years ago. "We loved you the moment we knew you were coming."

"Maybe even before then." Peter added, kissing Aria's cheek.

This answer seemed to satisfy the young girl, because she chirped "Let's go find Auntie Nebula!"

Gamora put her down and she ran to the entrance of the Milano. Her parents fell behind, slowly walking hand in hand.

"We did good." Peter said, watching their daughter fondly.

"We did really good." Gamora echoed with a smile.

"What do you say we give her her birthday present a little early? She'd have something for show and tell tomorrow."

"I think she'd love that."

Inside the Milano, Aria was greeted by the rest of the Guardians.

"Hello, tiny Gamora." Said Drax teasingly.

"Uncle Drax, I'm not mommy!"

"Oh, my apologies! I thought Gamora had gotten stuck in some kind of shrinking machine, and needed us to come rescue her."

Aria stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry, which Drax reciprocated, causing them both to fall into a fit of giggles.

"It's good to see you, Aria." He said finally, giving her a quick hug.

"Uncle Rocket! I'm finally taller than you!" She called to Rocket, who was tinkering with something in the captain's seat.

"In your dreams, pipsqueak." He joked.

"Nuh-uh! Look." She raised a hand to level both of their foreheads.

"Hey, squirt, that's cheating! I'm sitting down."

"And you didn't cheat in Monopoly last night?"

"It's not my fault you traded me Park Place for a utility."

"Yeah, it is!"

"Eh, get outta here, kid." Rocket said, playfully shoving her on the back.

"Hey munchkin?" Called Peter as he walked into the Milano. "Your mom and I have something we want to show you."

A few moments later, the three were seated on top of Peter and Gamora's bed.

"We were going to wait to give this to you for your birthday…" Said Gamora, pulling a small box out from behind her back and setting it on Aria's lap. "But we thought it would be something good to use for show and tell tomorrow."

"A birthday present a whole three months early?!" Exclaimed Aria in wonder.

"Go on and open it." Said Peter, giving her a gentle nudge.

Aria opened the box excitedly, revealing a pretty rose gold chain with a small, iridescent pendant.

"It's so pretty…" Aria said, tilting the box in front of the overhead light and watching the pendant shimmer.

"That's called an opal." Said Peter.

"Mama and Daddy have one on their wedding rings, too." Added Gamora, holding up her hand to show her daughter.

"So now you'll always have a part of us with you."

"I love it! Thank you Mama, thank you Daddy!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

The two parents wrapped their daughter, their greatest gift, in their arms. They cherished these moments with her more than anything in the world.


	7. Hey You, With the Pretty Face

Synopsis: Gamora helps Aria prepare to be the flower girl for Mantis and Nebula's wedding.

**Chapter 7: Hey You, With the Pretty Face**

"Okay, hun, turn around so I can tie your bow." Gamora said, lightly brushing a lock of hair off her daughter's shoulder. Aria swiveled, turning her back to her mother.

As Gamora worked with the ribbon on the dress, Aria watched her reflection in the mirror.

"I don't know what I wanna do with my hair." She mused, curling a lock of hair around her finger.

"Well, you can just leave it down. It looks pretty like this." Her mother offered.

"But I always wear it down. I'd like to do something with it."

Gamora thought for a moment, before her face lit up.

"Do you mind if I try something? If you don't like it, I can take it out."

Aria shrugged. "Go for it."

Gamora gathered bobby pins, elastics, and hairspray as Aria took a seat closer to the vanity, fiddling with the opal necklace around her neck.

"This is how my mother used to do my hair when I was little." Gamora said with a small smile, as she ran a brush through her daughter's hair.

"You never talk about Grandma much. What was she like?"

"Oh, she was wonderful, and she would have loved you."

"Really?"

"Definitely. She always had a smile on her face, even when things got tough. Just like you."

"I wish I could have met her."

"Oh, sweetheart, I do too. But this hairstyle, it's something that connects us all together, don't you think?"

"I guess you're right."

Gamora placed one last pin in Aria's hair before inspecting her work. She had placed two little buns on each side of the young girl's head, and wrapped a braid around each bun. Her hair was so long, both of the braids brushed the tip of her shoulders. For a moment, Gamora could have sworn she was looking at a younger version of herself.

"So? What do you think?"

Aria turned around and gave her mother a huge smile before pulling her into a hug.

"I love it! Thanks, Mom."


End file.
